JobAfterNext

Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists

Apply remote sensing principles and methods to analyze data and solve problems in areas such as natural resource management, urban planning, or homeland security. May develop new sensor systems, analytical techniques, or new applications for existing systems.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists separately. These are the figures for Physical Scientists, All Other (19-2099), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$122,570
Employment, U.S.22,300
Median hourly wage$58.93
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$67,000$86,620$122,570$161,890$195,190
By state (41)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama140$135,3500.47
Alaska140$120,2402.96
Arizona170$125,2700.38
California2,320$130,6100.89
Colorado710$134,4401.72
Connecticut370$99,9901.51
District of Columbia790$156,7307.88
Florida340$131,6900.24
Georgia1,020$137,6801.46
Hawaii100$112,8801.08
Illinois580$108,9700.66
Indiana1,240$68,6702.70
Iowa100$80,8100.44
Kentucky260$81,2600.92
Louisiana280$94,3201.02
Maryland1,810$141,2904.56
Massachusetts350$138,3800.66
Michigan130$118,8700.21
Minnesota540$147,8901.28
Mississippi380$108,8902.26
Montana100$94,5201.35
Nebraska40$101,4400.27
New Hampshire210$112,3702.19
New Jersey590$109,9900.96
New Mexico240$123,8201.91
New York1,510$117,8201.09
North Carolina650$110,0300.92
North Dakota70$147,6501.16
Ohio430$108,7900.54
Oklahoma80$112,2600.33
Oregon290$109,5801.02
Pennsylvania460$134,7800.53
Rhode Island70Not available1.02
South Carolina70$141,1300.22
Tennessee120$129,5700.27
Texas2,310$100,9201.15
Utah250$115,9200.99
Virginia1,450Not available2.46
Washington450$133,9800.88
Wisconsin70$97,4700.17
Wyoming60$69,2401.42

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers40.969
2Hydrologists40.967
3Atmospheric and Space Scientists40.966
4Geodetic Surveyors40.963
5Industrial Ecologists50.961
6Remote Sensing Technicians40.957
7Environmental Restoration Planners50.954
8Geographers40.954
9Soil and Plant Scientists50.954
10Water Resource Specialists40.953

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Atmospheric and Space ScientistsScience0.880.966
Geodetic SurveyorsMathematics0.760.963
Electrical EngineersQuality Control Analysis1.370.938
Validation EngineersQuality Control Analysis1.370.933
Range ManagersNegotiation1.130.931
Database ArchitectsProgramming1.370.928

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists, excluding software Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
ESRI ArcView12 of 2013.8x
Geographic information system GIS software14 of 209.1x
ESRI ArcInfo9 of 2024.4x
Autodesk AutoCAD18 of 204.9x
Bentley MicroStation10 of 209.6x
RockWare ArcMap5 of 2028.8x
ITT Visual Information Solutions ENVI4 of 2046.2x
ESRI ArcIMS4 of 2036.9x
Geomechanical design analysis GDA software5 of 2016.5x
SAS10 of 203.9x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.00 4.75
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 4.00 4.38
WritingEssential skill 3.88 4.62
SpeakingEssential skill 3.88 4.25
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.88 4.00
ScienceEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.75 4.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.75 4.12
MathematicsEssential skill 3.75 4.12
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.62 3.88
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.62 3.88
Active LearningEssential skill 3.38 4.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.38 3.88
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 3.25 3.62
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.12 3.12
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.38
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.88 3.12
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.88 2.75
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.62 2.88
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.50 2.62
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.38 2.38
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.38 1.75
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.00 1.62
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.75
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.50 0.50
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Geography 4.84 6.44
Mathematics 4.20 5.40
Computers and Electronics 4.20 5.32
Engineering and Technology 3.88 5.21
English Language 3.68 4.48
Physics 3.48 4.16
Design 3.24 4.20
Administration and Management 3.12 3.80
Customer and Personal Service 3.12 3.52
Biology 3.00 3.72
Education and Training 2.96 4.44
Production and Processing 2.83 3.25
Communications and Media 2.68 3.12
Public Safety and Security 2.62 2.76
Telecommunications 2.56 2.56
Administrative 2.52 3.32
History and Archeology 2.40 3.00
Sociology and Anthropology 2.36 2.76
Transportation 2.29 2.40
Personnel and Human Resources 2.28 2.64
Law and Government 2.20 2.40
Sales and Marketing 1.96 2.48
Chemistry 1.96 2.00
Economics and Accounting 1.88 1.56
Mechanical 1.84 1.76
Psychology 1.84 1.40
Foreign Language 1.60 1.24
Building and Construction 1.52 0.92
Philosophy and Theology 1.48 1.04
Fine Arts 1.32 0.64
Medicine and Dentistry 1.20not rated
Food Production 1.12not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.12not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Deductive Reasoning 4.25 4.62
Inductive Reasoning 4.25 4.50
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.88
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.75
Oral Expression 4.00 4.75
Written Expression 4.00 4.62
Problem Sensitivity 4.00 4.12
Near Vision 4.00 3.88
Mathematical Reasoning 3.88 4.25
Information Ordering 3.88 4.12
Category Flexibility 3.75 4.12
Number Facility 3.62 4.00
Fluency of Ideas 3.62 3.88
Speech Clarity 3.62 3.62
Flexibility of Closure 3.50 3.38
Originality 3.38 3.88
Speech Recognition 3.38 3.25
Visualization 3.12 3.25
Perceptual Speed 3.00 3.00
Selective Attention 3.00 3.00
Far Vision 3.00 2.88
Memorization 2.62 2.62
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.50 2.38
Time Sharing 2.50 2.38
Finger Dexterity 2.38 1.88
Control Precision 2.12 2.12
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 2.00
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.00 1.88
Depth Perception 2.00 1.88
Auditory Attention 2.00 1.75
Manual Dexterity 1.88 1.62
Trunk Strength 1.75 1.38
Reaction Time 1.38 0.50
Spatial Orientation 1.38 0.50
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.38 0.50
Rate Control 1.25not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.12not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.12not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.12not rated
Static Strength 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 89
  • Microsoft Outlook hot
  • Microsoft PowerPoint hot
  • Microsoft Project hot
  • Microsoft SQL Server hot
  • Microsoft Visio hot
  • Microsoft Visual Studio hot
  • Microsoft Windows hot
  • Microsoft Word hot
  • MySQL hot
  • NoSQL hot
  • Node.js hot
  • Oracle Database hot
  • Oracle Java hot
  • Perl hot
  • PostgreSQL hot
  • Puppet hot
  • R hot
  • Ruby hot
  • Salesforce software hot
  • Scala hot
  • Selenium hot
  • Structured query language SQL hot
  • Swift hot
  • Tableau hot
  • The MathWorks MATLAB hot
  • UNIX hot
  • Aeronautical charts
  • Agisoft Metashape
  • Airdata
  • Amazon Simple Storage Service S3
  • Apache HTTP Server
  • ArduPilot Mission Planner
  • BAE Systems SOCET GXP
  • Calibration software
  • CloudCompare
  • ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS
  • FLIR Thermal Studio Suite
  • Gamma remote sensing software
  • Geographic information system GIS systems
  • Global positioning system GPS software
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Hypertext preprocessor PHP
  • Image processing software
  • Interface definition language IDL
  • Kitty Hawk
  • LP360
  • Learning management system LMS
  • Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
  • Litchi
  • Microsoft Image Composite Editor
  • Objective C
  • OpenDroneMap
  • PCI Geomatics Geomatica
  • Pix4D Pix4Dmapper
  • RSI ENVI
  • Ruby on Rails
  • UgCS
  • Web browser software
  • YouTube

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists separately. These are the figures for Physical Scientists, All Other (19-2099), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY78012.09$99,460
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC3707.46$128,380
Charlottesville, VA1006.25$144,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV2,7406.08$170,980
Duluth, MN-WI1005.54$81,920
Lexington-Fayette, KY2105.13$67,610
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN5603.51$67,000
Trenton-Princeton, NJ1002.99$117,840
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD5702.92$108,160
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC3102.87$117,640

More metros, other thresholds